Game apparatus.



E. R. WHITTIER.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY31, 1914. RENEWED AUG-25,1915.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

W m, Inventor Q m N- o T a m H s A W m c H P A R u 0 N A L P M n M U L oc EDWIN R. WHITTIERI, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2&1915.

Application filed July 31, 1914., Serial No. 854,224. Renewed August 25,1915. Serial No. 47,323.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN R. WHITTIER, of Beverly, Massachusetts, haveinvented certain Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, like characters on the drawings designating like parts.

This invention relates to games and has for its object the provision ofa return ball game which may be played by one or preferably morecontestants, the principal feature of the game being the attempt tothrow the ball into a basket in such a manner that the ball will escapethrough a suitable exit in the bottom of the basket and thence be led toa point near the player himself, suitable conduits being providedleading from corresponding exits in the basket to each of the players,and the feature of competition being introduced by penalizing theplayer, whose ball, when thrown, goes to another player through the exitand conduit leading thereto, instead of returning to the player throwingthe ball.

Among other important objects of my iii-- vention is the provision ofapparatus which can be cheaply constructed, easily installed upon theground outside the house or upon the floor within the house, and whichapparatus includes the central basket with its apertured bottom andmeans to support this basketat a relatively high level while theconduits lead outwardly and downwardly therefrom in radial directions tosuitable posts or other supports which may have pockets for thereception of a supply of balls, for each of the players, who stand bytheir respective posts at a suitable distance radially from the basketto make the accuracy of their throw diflicult but not impossible.

The various features of my invention will be illustrated and describedfully in the accompanying drawings and specification and pointed out inthe claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of an outdoor game,constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe central basket or receptacle on a larger scale; Fig. 3 illustrates amodified form of support for the game post or posts; Fig. 4 illustratesa modified form of the central receptacle, in vertical section, alsoupon a larger scale taken on the line plan view thereor balls in such amanner that the ball will enter the aperture 2 (see Fig. 2) from whichthe ball will pass to a conduit 3 leading toward the player himself, andhaving a support at at its outer end.

The central receptacle may be of any suitable shape or material, and inthis instance, is shown as being a basket, with an ordinary bottom 5with several apertures 2 formed therein. The basket is screwed orotherwise secured at the top of the support 6 which may be of anysuitable construction, and, in the instance illustrated, takes the formof a pointed stake or post driven into the ground. To these stakes aresecured also one set of the ends of each of the conduits 3, the latterbeing of any suitable construction, and taking the form, in the instanceillustrated, of tapes or bands secured at each end in such a fashion asto present a trough to receive and direct the ball toward the outerends, at which region they may besupported by the posts 1-, driven intothe ground, or provided respectively with bases or feet 8, which latterare shown best in Fig. 3 and will be found of greatest utility.

when the game is to be played in the house or in some other place wheresharp pointed stakes cannot be used to advantage.

I prefer to so attach the conduits?) to their supporting stakes that theballs, upon their return respectively to the stakes of the individualplayer, will be arrested in a conspicuous position, for the purposes oftally, as shown in Fig. 1, and in order that these need not bedisturbed, I prefer to provide also, a suitable storage receptacle for asupply of balls to be used by the players, one pocket or receptacle 9for each stake. These receptacles may be of any convenient structure andare shown as reticules supported by hoops 10 fastened each to one of thestakes 4:.

In operation, the players take their position each near one of thestakes land the players in turn withdraw balls from the receptacles 9and throw them into the central receptacle 1. If a ball rolls into anaperture have shown at an extension of a post 14,

carrying a bell 17, this being illustrated best in Fig. 1 and Fig. 5. Inthis modification I have shown a series of separators 12, enteringgrooves 13 in the post 14 and also in grooves 18 in the bottom 5, andserving bot-h to divide the basket into compartments, corresponding withthe holes 2, and to maintain in distended position the flexible walls 16of the basket, when the latter is made of a woven or netted fabric,as'it may be conveniently, formed at its mouth upon a wire hoop 19.

With such a structure, the withdrawal of separators .12 permits thecollapse of the walls 16 with hoop 19 against the bottom 5, and uponwithdrawal of the post 14, the several parts can be packed compactly ina suitable case, such as the box for a croquet set,

Having illustrated and described my invention thus fully and suitablemeans for carrying the same into effect, it is to be understood that Ido not limit myself to the specific structure and materials selected forillustration and description by way of example, nor do I limit myself ingeneral otherwise than as set forth in the claims read in connectionwith my specification.

-What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is 1. A' game comprising a central collapsible receptacleand laterally extensible flexible conduits; said receptacle being opento receivecounters tossed thereinto by a player or players stationedeach near the outer portions of one of said conduits when openingupwardly to receive counters tossed thereinto, and a post therefor; aseries of lexiblebands extensible radially to form curved conduitsleading downwardly and outwardly from said central receptacle, andhaving a series of supports, one for and to hold the extended end ofeach of said conduits, said receptacle having openings leading to saidconduits respectively.

3. A game comprising a central receptacle and a post therefor; a seriesof laterally extended bands curved to form conduits leading downwardlyand outwardly from said central receptacle, and having a series ofsupports, one for and to hold the extended end of each of said conduits;and a storage receptacle for counters, one for and carried by each ofsaid outer supports; said central receptacle having openings leading tosaid conduits respectively, and said conduits being connected to saidouter supports in such a manner that the counters traversing saidconduits respectively will be arrested adjacent to the outer support ofeach conduit.

at. A game comprising a central receptacle having openings in its lowerportion and conduits leading therefrom toward the point of play of theindividual players; and a baille device within said central receptacleto engage a counter tossed thereinto.

Signed at Beverly, in the county of vEssex and State of Massachusettsthis 13th day of July,

EDWIN R. lVHlTlIIGlt.

Witnesses SAMUEL H. STONE, J. STANFORD XVILSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

- r 7 Washington, D. C.

